HEREFORDSHIRE gain first win of the NCCA 50-over competition with a thrilling two-wicket success against Lincolnshire at Brockhampton.

13 Jun 2023   |   By Richard Prime

HEREFORDSHIRE gained their first win of the NCCA 50-over competition group stages with a thrilling two-wicket success against Lincolnshire at Brockhampton.

And, as the icing on the cake, it was two local boys who were at the crease when the win was achieved with 18-year-old Luke Powell’s maturely compiled 25 not out guiding the side to the brink of a victory completed by 20-year-old Charlie Williams’ winning boundary.

Despite losing Ollie Walker early on, Herefordshire’s pursuit of their 197-run target got under way well with Ben Chapman Lilley (47) and Nick Hammond (32) setting a solid base.

Skipper Matt Pardoe (29) and Ollie Rogoff (24) continued to drive the side forward and, at 137-3, Herefordshire’s eventual progress to victory seemed assured.

However, a collapse inspired by seamer Alex King (5-41), which saw four wickets go down for 13 runs, put the game back into the balance.

But Powell was joined by James Rudge (19) and, with some sensible and composed batting, the pair guided Herefordshire to within three of victory before Rudge fell.

Earlier, Lincolnshire had emerged rapidly from the blocks after winning the toss and electing to bat with 40 on the board after only four overs.

But openers Jaden Fell (18) and Ben Wright (30) were dismissed by Roshan Venkataraman and Williams (1-27) before Herefordshire’s spinners took control.

Skipper Pardoe, with 2-28 from 10 overs, and Chapman Lilley, 1-27 from nine, with solid support from Zak Abbas (1-51) chipped away at the middle order.

Venkataraman then returned with a devastating late burst, reducing Lincolnshire from 191-5 to 196 all out as he finished with 5-38, the best figures by a Herefordshire bowler in a 50-over clash at Brockhampton and the fourth-best ever for the county in limited over competition.

While Herefordshire progress to the knockout stages of the competition remains a mathematical possibility, they will need to beat Oxfordshire in their final group game at Great and Little Tew CC on June 25 and rely on favourable results elsewhere over the next couple of weeks if they are to reach the quarter-finals.

 CAPTION: Herefordshire skipper Matt Pardoe works the ball away on the leg side in the county’s win over Lincolnshire at Brockhampton.